Atrocities on women, kids to be dealt with "mercilessly": Siddaramaiah

Bangalore: Calling recent cases of atrocities against women and girls as "disturbing", Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said his government is committed to prevent such incidents and they would be dealt with "mercilessly".

"In the recent past, there have been disturbing incidents of atrocities on women. Our government is committed to prevent such incidents by tightening up existing legislations," Siddaramaiah said in his Independence Day speech at the main celebrations at the Parade Grounds here.

"Miscreants who ill-treat women and commit atrocities on them would be mercilessly dealt with and police have been instructed to act strictly," he said.

Siddaramaiah said to deal with crimes such as rape, the government has amended the Goonda act and 10 special courts have been set up to deal with cases related to atrocities on women for speedy disposal.

Stating that the government has also taken stringent measures to check atrocities on girl students in schools and colleges, he said, "be it government or private school, the institution is responsible for safety of children till they leave the school premises."

He said the government has also directed schools to set up children safety committees to prevent such incidents.

"All school managements have been told to ensure proper antecedents of both non-teaching and teaching staff before recruiting them for service," he added.

Siddaramaih's comments come in the wake of recent incidents of sexual violence against women and children inside school premises that saw public erupt in anger on the streets. The alleged gang rape of a six-year-old girl in a high-profile public school by its staff had caused public outrage, as also the alleged rape of a woman in a car in the city.

He said special women treatment units would be set up in all 30 district hospitals and five hospitals in Bangalore City to provide treatment, legal and financial assistance to women who become target of such atrocities.

"A children's fund would be created with an amount of Rs 25 lakh to provide emergency relief to children who become target of such atrocities," he added.